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Thursday, October 13, 2011

VIDEO: Mayor Skibitsky, Nowhere Man

Union County has stated that there are funds still available to relocate the Central Ave. pedestrian crossing to where Westfield's expert Gordon Meth had originally proposed.........the intersection of Central & Clover.

Mayor Skibitsky refuses to move the light and has yet to provide any proof that the current mid-block light is safer than the corner.

At a recent town council meeting, the Mayor asked resident Maria Carluccio, "What if it is moved to the corner and there are accidents?"

Mayor, at least it would be located where your own expert told you to put it, before you and former Councilman Ciarrocca let a committee of non-experts in traffic safety, the Citizens Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, impose its will, a will you imposed on Union County.

7 comments:

Nowhere is exactly where Mayor Skibitsky should go in the political arena. If the placement of this crosswalk is any indication of his ability to make sound and effective decisions concerning the welfare of our community and its citizens he has failed us all miserably. Hearing an old Beatle's tune was nostalgic. Thanks.

Who says that the corner would be any safer either? (aside from mr meth). Anyone that mistakes a nonlit light for an intersection probably shouldn't be driving( and the area is well marked). I agree that if it were intended for the corner it should've been put there but there's no logical explanation to move it now when it'll only cost taxpayer money. Sure Meth said it would be safer at the corner but he's the same "expert" that wanted to put the stop sign at the end of benson, thought speed humps would reduce speeding and said would fix the traffic into town along central

Dr. Richard Nasi of Tucson, Arizona, the inventor of the HAWK pedestrian activated light, authored a report that proves the light is safer at intersections. The report stated that after a 3 year study at over 60 locations of the HAWK light in Tucson, a 97% compliance rate (motorists yielding to pedestrians) was achieved at intersections compared to a 94% compliance rate at mid-block crossings. At this point it is a safety issue that should dictate the relocation of the light to the intersection as Mr. Meth had initially recommended.

The county has the money allocated to move the light according to the county engineer. The only hold up is waiting for a child to be critically injured at this location, then you'd see how fast that light and crosswalk would be moved to the logical and certainly safer location which the entire world knows is at the intersection.

I really use to believe that the mayor was an upstanding individual. The simple fact that he is unable to say the he made a mistake in the placement of the light is disappointing and a clear lesson to our Westfield youth that anyone who does not have the courage to apologize and admit a mistake has no place in any leadership position. Even my 8 year old knows a real man of character can say he is sorry and work to correct a mistake. Like his loyal followers the mayor has proven himself a coward.